The Endurance Series: Growing Pains
by Durhelediel and Layren
Summary: When young padawan Qui-Gon Jinn thinks that everyone has forgotten his birthday, he runs away from the Temple and finds more trouble.. and an unlikely new friendship. First in a series...Nonslash. FINISHED
1. Default Chapter

Title: Growing Pains  
  
Author: Durhelediel and Layren  
  
Category: Action/Adventure/Drama  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Archive: Please ask us first!  
  
Summary: When young Qui-Gon thinks that everyone has forgotten his birthday, he runs away from the Temple and finds more trouble...and an unlikely new friendship.  
  
Disclaimer: All recognizable Star Wars characters belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd. We just take them out to play with them once in a while.  
  
Note from authors: Original characters from us are ours and if anyone wants to borrow them, please write an email specifying which one and why. We will let you know. Thank you.  
  
Dedication: To Charmisjess. Thanks for the rpg that this came from! It took on a life of it's own!! Hope it turned out as good as the rpg! Thanks also to Marnie Goodbody, for the name Yan as Dooku's first name.  
  
The Endurance Series: Growing Pains (the prequel)  
  
Chapter One:  
  
Qui-Gon snored gently. One of his arms was flopped over his eyes and the other was hanging off a sleep-couch that was too short for his lanky frame. His mind was totally oblivious to everything except sleeping in as late as possible. He stirred briefly before turning over on his other side, still snoring gently, sound asleep.  
  
Jedi Master Yan Dooku tugged on his robe and strolled into his padawan's room, expecting him to be awake and ready for their meeting with the Council. To his surprise, Qui-Gon was still sleeping soundly.Dooku sighed and tried to be patient with his high-strung padawan. Reaching over, he shook Qui-Gon much more gently than he wanted to. "Qui-Gon, wake up!"  
  
Qui-Gon mumbled in his sleep, "Just a few more minutes, Master," before turning over and loudly snoring again.  
  
Dooku shook him harder and let his anger bleed into his voice. "NOW!"  
  
With a start, Qui-Gon woke up and blinked sleepily at his master. "Huh?"  
  
In a stressed tone, Dooku said, "We have a Council meeting in two minutes. Why are you not up and dressed?"  
  
Qui-Gon stared uncomprehendingly at his master. "A what?"  
  
Dooku counted to ten in his head and then repeated, "Why are you not up and dressed? We have a Council meeting today. Remember? Master Yoda contacted me last night about it."  
  
Qui-Gon stared for a few more seconds and then it finally clicked in his brain what his master was saying to him. Oh no. He scrambled out of bed and tried to find his clothes that he put on the edge of his bed the night before, only to find he'd kicked them off in his sleep.  
  
Dooku left his padawan alone to get dressed and stood in their adjoining living area, the only outward sign of his impatience his foot tapping on the floor.  
  
Qui-Gon came out of his room, pulling on his boots and hopping on one foot to try to make them come up all the way. He winced as his shoes pinched his toes. "Master, I think I need new boots again."  
  
Dooku lifted an eyebrow. "I told you whenever you needed things to let me know before they became a problem."  
  
Qui-Gon looked away at that. He mumbled. "Yes Master."  
  
Checking the chrono on the wall, Dooku sighed. "If we hurry, we can still make it."  
  
Qui-Gon didn't reply, but instead followed his master out the door at a jog to hurry toward the Council chambers.  
  
As they neared the open doors, Yoda's voice called out, "Late again are you, Master Dooku. This time what excuse have you?"  
  
Qui-Gon's face flushed, waiting for his master's reply as he stood a pace behind his master, which was appropriate for a Jedi padawan.  
  
Dooku bowed in front of the Council to show respect, hiding his irritation. "My padawan forgot the time, Masters. What is it that you need to see us for?"  
  
Qui-Gon's cheeks burned even more as he stood behind his master. He looked down at the floor.  
  
Master Koth did not wait for preliminaries but launched directly into the matter. "Master Dooku. Your actions during the last mission were entirely inappropriate. Do you have any excuse for how you handled the Chieslen incident? You directly countermanded orders and defied authority that said not to interfere."  
  
Dooku flared at that statement. "How could I not interfere when I was faced with that suffering and feeling it all around me?"  
  
Now Master W'go jumped on Dooku, though using his apprentice as a mean to do so. "Padawan Jinn, how do you feel your master acted, especially by countermining Council orders?"  
  
Qui-Gon looked up in surprise. The Council rarely acknowledged he was even there, let alone asked for his opinion. He frowned. "With all due respect, Masters, my master did the best possible job he could. Thousands of lives would have been destroyed had my master not acted. In my opinion, his actions were justified. He saved thousands of lives instead of just one."  
  
Dooku stared at his padawan in surprise. Since being assigned to him after his previous master's death, Qui-Gon rarely stood by his decisions. The Council was just as shocked as Dooku.  
  
Yoda observed Qui-Gon quietly as Master Koth blustered. "You...how do you, a fourteen-year-old apprentice know anything of this situation?" He finally said.  
  
Qui-Gon arched a brow. "Fifteen. I know because I was there, Master Koth. With all due respect to this assembly, you weren't."  
  
Dooku sent his padawan a warning to be careful through their bond but the message was mixed with admiration and gratitude. Dooku turned to Master Koth, trying to get his attentions away from his apprentice. "I did what any Jedi with feelings would have, Masters. If you had been there, you would have done the same. I know our mandates state for us to not follow emotion but if we become senseless beings, then we have lost what it is to be Jedi."  
  
Master Koth narrowed his gaze darkly at Dooku and at the apprentice standing just behind him. "You were under strict orders to protect the royal heir. Now he is dead at your hands. What excuse do you have for this?"  
  
Dooku knew he'd catch their anger for this. "Prince Janhu tried to kill me and also tried to kill countless innocents. When he tried to capture Qui- Gon it became personal. It was for protection that I finally agreed to duel with him. I did not know at the time that he was not as good as he claimed."  
  
Qui-Gon hid a snicker behind his hand at that last part. The prince couldn't fight at all, especially compared to his master, but since he was held hostage at the time, he didn't have much of a say in the matter.  
  
Yoda flicked an ear and turned to his colleagues. "With the master and padawan alone I must speak."  
  
Qui-Gon arched a brow in surprise. He would be included? He bowed his head and held his tongue.  
  
Once all the Council members had filed out, Yoda glanced at Qui-Gon. "Careful with your words you must be. Enemies with Jedi you can make."  
  
Qui-Gon kneeled before the small Jedi Master. "Master I don't understand...he asked for my opinion...and now when I told the truth I'm being questioned for it?"  
  
"Questioned you are not," Yoda clarified. "Prudent it is to monitor truth at times. Master Dooku know this he should."  
  
Qui-Gon narrowed his gaze at that and furrowed his brow. "You mean sometimes you'll hide the truth?" He shook his head. "I don't understand how that could possibly be justified."  
  
"Hide not the truth," Yoda was beginning to sound exasperated. "Proper timing truth waits on. Learn this in time you will."  
  
Qui-Gon stared at the floor. "Yes, Master Yoda."  
  
Yoda turned to Dooku. "Enemies you have. This you know. Why aggravate you Master Koth?"  
  
Master Dooku looked at Yoda evenly. "I wasn't trying to aggravate him, my master. I merely answered what he asked. Maybe he's the one who needs some adjustment."  
  
Yoda allowed a small smile to cross his thin lips briefly. "Understand I do, Master Dooku. Master Koth my concern is not. Your actions, serious are they. Your reasoning question I do not. Worried about influencing young Jinn I do."  
  
Master Dooku sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "My padawan may pick up some of my methods, that is true. But it is entirely possible that he will disagree with me for the rest of his apprenticeship, then when he is a master he can make his own decisions. It is too early to tell now, how things will go in the future."  
  
Yoda nodded at this. "Still early it is. Point made, Master Dooku. "  
  
Qui-Gon frowned, irritated at being talked about like he was not there. "Masters, with all due respect I'd appreciate it if you talked to me and not about me."  
  
Yoda sighed and Master Dooku glared at his padawan, all earlier feelings of warmth gone. "This is what Master Yoda means by telling you to be silent, Qui-Gon," he snapped. "Sometimes your comments are not necessary."  
  
Qui-Gon's gaze darkened at the sharp rebuke but he didn't reply, dropping his gaze to the floor. He winced a little and tried to move his pinched toes around in his boots.  
  
Yoda waved them away in dismissal. "Much to talk about have you. Go now."  
  
Dooku, without another word, turned and strode back out of the room, his thoughts miles away. Qui-Gon stood again and bowed to Master Yoda. He frowned when his master did not and hurried to catch up to Dooku's long strides. A stray thought entered his mind that he hoped his master had not forgotten his birthday with all this excitement from the Council.  
  
Dooku finally spoke as he paused outside of the meditation room. "I want you to spend the next several hours meditating on how to not open your mouth with every glib comment and why it is important for you not to do so. When you think you have adequate reasoning, alert me through our bond and I will come get you."  
  
Qui-Gon looked up at the instruction. "But, Master.it's time for lunch."  
  
Dooku just gave him a look.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed heavily, irritated at being punished for something he didn't think he did wrong. Without another word he headed into the meditation room.  
  
Dooku let himself smile as the door closed behind his apprentice. Qui-Gon evidently thought he had forgotten his birthday. This little tirade with the Council gave him ample excuse to get his surprise birthday party set up. Knowing Qui-Gon, he'd be in the meditation room for a while, trying to curb his thoughts. With lots of things to finish planning, Dooku hurried off.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed heavily as he sat in the meditation room in meditation posture. The room was completely empty except for himself. He didn't feel like meditating. The longer he sat there, the more he felt like he was being unjustly punished. His thoughts turned to how he had been treated by Master Dooku. His master usually didn't get so mad so quickly and then punish him right away. Why did things like this have to happen on the one day that was supposed to be a happy day? Did Master Dooku even remember today was his birthday? Frowning at the injustice of it, he crossed his arms.  
  
Qui-Gon heaved a sigh wondering what else his master would do to him for being late to the Council meeting.  
  
Happy birthday Qui, he thought sarcastically to himself. The council didn't even acknowledge it when he'd corrected them on his age.  
  
The more he sat there, thinking of how unfair it all was, the more upset he got. Finally, after staying in the meditation room for about thirty minutes, he couldn't take it anymore. Closing down his side of the bond, he stood and peered around the door to see if anyone was there. Seeing no one, he raced down the halls toward the front hall.  
  
Qui-Gon stopped at the exit to the Jedi temple and bit his lip. His master would be absolutely furious to find him not meditating but his resolve hardened as he remembered why he was supposed to meditate in the first place. He pulled open the door and headed out.  
  
A storm was brewing beyond the spires of Coruscant. What a day this was turning out to be. Storms on Coruscant were always vicious, offering hardly any protection from its onslaught. Qui-Gon hurried away from the Temple as much to get away from the unfairness as to run away from the storm headed his way. He found shelter half an hour later near a cantina practically buried in building rubble. It was appropriately named "The Shack". To his dismay, though, a swoop biker gang appeared, bearing down on The Shack-and his position-swiftly.  
  
He crawled beneath an awning, hoping to find shelter without causing attention to himself. He crouched low behind a pile of shipping crates and waited. It was when he dropped his hand to his waist for his lightsaber that he realized with a gasp he didn't have it. He'd taken it off when he'd sat down in the meditation room.  
  
Qui-Gon could have kicked himself. That was the most stupid thing he could have done, especially after he had left all by himself with no one knowing where he was. He needed protection...but he was not going back inside the Temple for it. Someone would see him and he'd be stuck there.  
  
Qui-Gon bit his lip as he crouched behind the shipping crates, hoping they wouldn't notice him. He rebuked himself sharply for leaving his weapon on the meditation room floor. Master Dooku is gonna kill me...  
  
The leader of the swoop gang held up his hand, his long dreadlocks swinging over his face. "Hold up, man," he barked at his six followers. "What've we got here, hiding in the shadows? You a runaway, kid?"  
  
Qui-Gon narrowed his gaze darkly. "No. I just dropped something. I think I'll go back now."  
  
The leader scowled, showing off his missing teeth. With a barely seen flick of a finger, the other bikes looped around, blocking Qui-Gon's escape. "What's your hurry, man? Come join us inside. Maybe you'll find what it is you're looking for in there." Several of the cronies laughed at this.  
  
Qui-Gon bit his lip, worried, but he tried not to show it. He reached out to the Force. "You don't need me inside. I can go."  
  
For a moment, the swoop leader looked as if he were about to tell him to go, then his eyes narrowed. "Hey, yous guys! We got a Jedi kid here!" He frowned at Qui-Gon. "I'm not that stupid man. You shouldn't've done that."  
  
Qui-Gon bit his lip again and decided to try to make a run for it. He ran at the nearest man blocking his exit, hoping to startle the swoop riders enough to let him go.  
  
Unfortunately for him, these swoop riders were not completely dumb nor were they slow. While he was attacking the two nearest his exit, two others bore down on him, kicking him in the back and knocking him down to the ground.  
  
Qui-Gon gasped as he was knocked down hard to the ground, the breath driven from his lungs. The asphalt beneath him cut his palms and he briefly pondered the idea of calling to his master for help then decided against it  
  
The swoop leader laughed as his quarry pushed himself painfully back to his knees. "How 'bout you go inside with us now, Jedi? We's got business to settle."  
  
Qui-Gon glared. "Make me." He pushed himself up to his feet and brushed the asphalt off of his torn pants.  
  
Instead of getting angry, the swoop leader only laughed again. Tilting his head in another invisible signal, three of his followers placed their swoops in idle and jumped on top of the Jedi.  
  
Qui-Gon gasped, the breath knocked from him a second time, and he struggled to get out from under them, kicking and punching whatever he could. He reached out to the Force and shoved at the three men on top of him.  
  
The leader merely watched calmly as the three who jumped Qui-Gon were hurtled through the air by an invisible fist. Sighing in boredom, he turned his wrist to the right to signal to the lone woman of the group, who had snuck up behind Qui-Gon with a loaded vial, to inject him. Grinning, showing more missing teeth than the leader, the woman obeyed.  
  
Qui-Gon struggled back to his feet and sucked in a breath as he was pricked in the exposed part of his neck. Within seconds a lightheaded feeling stole over him and he fell to the ground, unable to move.  
  
*MASTER!*  
  
The six swoop gang members bent over him and picked him up, carrying their prize into their hideout, knowing that he could do no damage now. 


	2. Chapter Two

Dooku was just putting the finishing touches on Qui-Gon's birthday cake, Kyran and Devin near him wreaking havoc on the streamers and balloons, when they all paused, hearing a mental cry from Qui-Gon.  
  
Kyran accidentally popped a balloon that he had been trying to fill. His eyes wide, he shot a glance at Devin. At the same time, they both asked Dooku, "Where's Qui-Gon?"  
  
They raced from the cafeteria and sped down the hallways. Dooku, Kyran and Devin all slid to a stop as they saw the empty meditation room. Empty, that was, except for a single lightsaber that was unmistakably Qui-Gon's. Dooku picked it up lovingly and stared upward at the ceiling. Where had his apprentice gone?  
  
Qui-Gon was totally unable to move, limp in his captor's arms. Dizziness assaulted him as they dragged him inside the cantina and he tried very hard not to be sick, not wanting to lose the little bit of breakfast that he had had. He groaned as his captors took his tunic and robe, too weak to stop them from stealing his clothes as they chained him upright to the wall. He sagged in his bonds, too weak to hold himself up and vomited all over his captor as he finished fastening the last chain. He moaned, wishing that the room would stop spinning. He closed his eyes tightly, hoping that will help but to no avail. The insides of his eyelids tilted just like the rest of the room. Up and down, lurching beneath him. He vaguely wondered what they drugged him with.  
  
The leader of the swoop gang had tried to jump backwards when Qui-Gon got sick but had not been fast enough. Multicolored vomit shined on his boots. Cursing, he reached out and punched the kid in the stomach, which wasn't a wise idea but at least this time he got out of the way and felt better.  
  
Qui-Gon grunted as his stomach was punched and he heaved again all over the woman, who was standing closest. He winced at the terrible headache that was growing in the back of his head.  
  
The swoop leader laughed as the vomit missed his boots this time and landed instead of the woman's. She cursed, her short and spiky blonde hair gleaming as hard as her eyes as she regarded the sick and limp Jedi. "Don't mess with the merchandise," the leader warned, a hint of laughter in his voice. "But go ahead on anything else." She grinned and the smile did nothing to improve her looks. With a grunt of satisfaction, she slammed the Jedi's head against the hard wall behind him.  
  
Qui-Gon cried out as his head was smacked hard against the wall behind him, hard enough to make him see stars. Vaguely he thought it was a good idea that he had skipped lunch.  
  
Momentarily satisfied, the woman turned and left the room, the others, excluding the leader, following her. The Jedi slumped even further against the wall, all fight and resistance gone now from him. The leader regarded him for a moment. "I's Tho, the leader of this here gang. Now we got yous Jedi and yous aint gonna leave." He paused. "Whaz yo name boy?"  
  
Qui-Gon moaned and looked at the man like he was a moron. "Why should I tell you?"  
  
Tho scowled and roughly grabbed the Jedi's chin, forcing his head up to meet his eyes. "'Cuz I's the one holdin life and death right here in the palm of my hand, boy. After yo name, I might jus let you go. I'm after som'body and I's already knows it ain't you."  
  
Qui-Gon groaned as his chin was forced up, feeling very much like he was about to be sick again. The room started spinning and twirling and doing all manner of things it shouldn't. "Qui-Gon." He whispered and then closed his eyes to try to lessen the pain.  
  
Tho dropped the kid's chin, suddenly feeling a little worried about the way the Jedi was acting. Stunning Jedi with that juice usually just immobilized them and temporarily blocked whatever their telepathic voodoo was, not make them sicker than womp rats that hitched a ride through hyperspace. Pursing his lips, he grunted at the kid and left, thinking of the name. The kid and the kid's name was familiar, but from where? Too dumb to figure it out himself, he entered the cantina proper and looked around for his source.  
  
A tall full-figured female sat at the rear of the cantina. Her long dark hair was plaited in several braids down her back. She was puffing a thin deathstick, purchased recently in that very same cantina. She nodded when she saw Tho. When she spoke, her voice was husky. "What's up big guy?" She purred.  
  
Tho grunted again and slid into the chair across from her. "Lana, I's got a problem I needs you to take care of fo' me." He hated having to ask Lana for anything, since she was his ex-lover, but they both knew that at information and slicing, she was the best.  
  
Lana arched a brow. She blew a steady stream of smoke. "Oh? What sort of mess have you gotten in this time?" She took another drag from the deathstick. "And what was going on out there? Sounded like someone threw up."  
  
Tho hated when she tried to bust in on his business. "Nothin," he said sullenly. "So, we gots a agreement on you findin some info for me, Lana?"  
  
Lana shook her head and pushed her braids back behind her ear. "It depends." She took another drag from the deathstick. "What's in it for me? And you didn't answer my question."  
  
"Nothin, I said," he growled. "Som'body jus didn' like the ale. We gonna talk price?"  
  
She laughs lightly. "Tho, many things have changed since we broke up but you still are a bad liar." She takes another drag from the deathstick.  
  
Tho sighed. He had hoped to get out of showing her the kid but he knew now that it wasn't going to be possible. "If I shows ya, will you talk price, Lana?"  
  
She put out the remainder of the deathstick and stood. "Of course. You know I'm honorable." She frowned at him.  
  
"Sithspit," Tho cursed as he led Lana to the back where only the swoop riders went. "Gots to shows every nose busybody in the cantina..."  
  
Lana rolled her eyes at Tho's cursing and followed the big man to the back where the kid was chained to a wall. Her eyes widened when she saw the padawan braid dangling from his hair. "Tho," she breathed. "Who's this kid?"  
  
"All I gots from him was som'tin like 'Qui-Jon' or 'Gui-Gon' or som'tin like that. That's the info I need from you, Lana: who the master is," Tho explained, his thoughts halfway across the cantina to where he should be sitting down enjoying a nice Corillean ale while Lana worked.  
  
Lana frowned at Tho, her mind racing. "Alright. I think I can get the information for you. For a price." She arched a brow. "And I'm expensive. You know that."  
  
Tho muttered under his breath a moment, shuffling his feet, ignoring the kid. Finally, he huffed, "Whatever's fine. You know the range." Then he stomped out to get his ale.  
  
Qui-Gon groaned as he half-listened to the conversation, still feeling sick to his stomach, wishing desperately that he'd obeyed his master in the first place. He sighed, wondering how long it will take his master to realize he was even missing at all. Some birthday this is turning out to be. He sings quietly to himself. Happy birthday to me.  
  
Lana, thinking quietly to herself, jerked her head up at the soft singing. Concentrating, she recognized it as the birthday tune. Her stomach beginning to twist into a knot, she knelt in front of him, gingerly keeping away from the uncleaned vomit. "Hey, kid," she said softly. "You with me?"  
  
Qui-Gon sighed. "Unfortunately. My head feels like it's about to explode."  
  
Lana glanced behind her at the door but heard no one. "I need your name, kid, before I can do anything," she said a little gruffly. She couldn't afford to be too nice to the Jedi kid. It would only confuse him when she was completely mean to him around the others.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed and leaned back against the wall trying hard to ignore the ache in his head from being smashed against it. "Qui-Gon," he said softly. "Today's my birthday."  
  
Lana stood, her joints already aching from bending in that position for that short amount of time. "Qui-Gon...I assume you have a last name? How am I to find your Master if I don't know who I'm talking to?" Her voice softened a little as she couldn't help but ask, "And how old are you now?"  
  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply, gritting his teeth at the new ache in his stomach. "Jinn.Qui-Gon Jinn." He let out a long breath as the ache subsided somewhat. "Fifteen..." He sighed.  
  
Lana thought a moment. What a day this kid had had already! Captured by Tho and his moronic cowards and now sick. Half-distracted by thoughts of how to get him and her out of this mess without her losing face, she said, "Happy birthday, Qui-Gon Jinn."  
  
He looked up at that in wonder. "Thank you." He said quietly. "You're the first one who's told me today."  
  
She gave him a half smile that only made her porcelain face more beautiful by its troubled look. "I don't want to know how Tho and his gang got you, Qui-Gon, but I will tell you one thing: I'll do my best to find your master. Could you give me his name so I don't have to slice into the records of the Jedi Temple?"  
  
He looked at her in some surprise at the last bit, but then the room tilted again and he closed his eyes. "Do you want the full version or the short one? And my master.Master Dooku."  
  
Lana glanced at him sharply. "I said I don't want to know how you got caught by Tho, Jinn. The less I know, the less liable I am. I got to look after myself, right?" Even to her ears, her reply seemed hollow.  
  
Qui-Gon looked away, hurt. "Yes, I suppose so." He moaned at the ache in his stomach. "I don't feel so good."  
  
Biting her lip, the only unappealing habit she had besides the death sticks, Lana sighed gently. "Look, I can find out what they gave you and see what's wrong with you. Can you hang in for me until I can get back to you?"  
  
Qui-Gon groaned. "If I must...I." He trailed off. "Thanks," he whispered again. "Everyone else forgot my birthday."  
  
Lana nodded once briskly. Once she had decided on a course of action, she followed through with it, no matter what the risks or consequences. Matter of fact, that was the whole reason she was addicted to those awful death sticks... "I'll be back soon. Hang in, Qui-Gon," she whispered and left, her boots making snapping sounds down the corridor and the door to the room the swoop gang was holding the kid in echoing as it closed behind her.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed as she left, hoping against hope that he could last that long as the room began to spin again. He hoped that the big man wouldn't come back anytime soon. /I'll never disobey my master again,/ he thought miserably to himself. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three Tho sauntered down the corridor to where he knew Lana was working, keeping his footsteps light so that he could watch her without her seeing him. He wanted to make sure he was getting his money's worth out of her.  
Tho peeked around the corner as he heard keys tapping out in a fast rhythm. Lana was sitting with her long slender legs out in front of her, in her typical relaxed position. He still admired the curves of her body and wished that she had had the intelligence to stay with the most sought after job in the fringe: that of a swoop leader's girl. He sighed, a barely audible sound. Lana was sitting cross-legged at her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she did her wizardry to slice into the Jedi Temple database. She tapped into the Council's private files and quickly came across the boy's name. "Master Dooku and padawan Jinn..." She clicked on it and opened the file.  
Lana sighed exaggeratedly as she typed out a few more commands and pulled up the file on Padawan Jinn and Master Dooku. She read further. "Master and Padawan were severely reprimanded for their actions during the Chieslen incident in which Master Dooku countermanded orders." Lana gasped in surprise as she read about the Chieslen incident. Lana shook her head as she continued reading. She tapped into the Temple's Medical records and searched until she found Qui-Gon's name and quickly accessed the file and scanned through it more. Tho narrowed his eyes as he saw Lana gasp and her eyes widen, riveted to the screen. At least she was doing what she was paid to do by finding information. He chuckled softly. He sighed, already bored. Lana was the best, but she took a long time to get her information sometimes.  
Lana shook her head as she tried to find the information she was looking for. In a soft murmur that she knew would carry to his ears, she said, "Tho, I know you're there."  
Tho stood up straighter, but did not comment, hoping she'd get back to her info so he could stay where he was.  
She frowned as she continued to search. "Tho, I can't work with you drooling all over my shoulder. Leave me alone."  
Clearing his throat, he peered back over the corner. "I'm not over yo shoulder, Lana. Just makin sure yos doin yo job."  
Lana rolls her eyes again. "Tho. Leave now unless you want me to start charging double by the hour. Got that?"  
Tho scowled. He could hardly afford to pay Lana at her regular rates, which she very well knew, let alone double. Walking into the room, he tried to look at the screen. They both knew he couldn't read. "So, you findin the info al'ight?"  
Lana glared at him. "Just fine. Now leave. Double charging starts in the next ten seconds."  
Tho knew she wasn't bluffing: Lana never bluffed. Hurrying out of the room, he paused right outside the door. "Just kno that the boys are watchin to make sure you need anythin, right? You come out the door, you find me or the boys will help ya." In other words, he was having her watched.  
Lana placed her gaze back on the screen. "That's great Tho." She scanned through the medical files as he left.  
She noticed that this particular Jedi Padawan had been in and out of the Healer's several times, though that wasn't quite what she was looking for. Scrolling down more, she hit the jackpot: allergies. And there is was, the prime ingredient in all stunning liquids--Yanthmian. The last time Jinn had been injected with it the only thing that had kept him from dying was a quick visit to the healers.  
  
Qui-Gon moaned, feeling like he was getting sicker instead of better. Tho and his cronies had been by to drug him again to keep him from moving. As it was, he was so dizzy he could barely lift his head without getting sick to his stomach.  
Quietly slipping inside the Jedi's cell, Lana dropped to her knees in front of him. She was immediately concerned at his gray pallor and how he seemed to have even less strength than before. "Qui-Gon?" She murmured.  
Qui-Gon moaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" He questioned hazily.  
She kept half of her ear open for sounds in the corridor. If she knew Tho's goonies well enough, then they should be well drunk by now and not paying attention to her. "Qui-Gon, can you talk to me?"  
Qui-Gon groaned and he tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "You're pretty. All five of you..."  
Lana felt her pulse quicken. "Qui-Gon, this is important. Did they give you anything else since you saw me last?"  
Qui-Gon winced. "Uh...about an hour or so ago they did it again....my stomach hurts..." He groaned.  
Lana stood quickly and gently pushed his head up to look at her. "Hang in there, kid. I'm gonna go get your master. There's no way I can get you out of here by myself. Can you hang on?"  
Qui-Gon groaned again. "I'm trying. It hurts. What did they give me?" He was trying very hard not to be sick again.  
Her mind already on how she was going to get past Tho, who wouldn't be quite drunk enough yet at this hour to let her get away so easily, she turned back to him. "They gave you a stunning liquid to keep you immobile with Yanthmain. I've got to get your master and get him here to get you. I need you to promise me you'll hang in there."  
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach. "Do I have to?" He tried hard not to throw up.  
Lana sighed and blew a stray strand of black hair out of her face. "Just hang on kid.  
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach as he watched whoever-she- was hurry out the door. He tried not to cry out at the ache in his stomach as a strong cramp passed through him that would've doubled him over were it not for the chains holding him up. He gritted his teeth as another cramp passed through his stomach, thinking miserably about home and the Temple, and suddenly he found himself wishing that he had obeyed his master.  
  
Tho sipped on his drink slowly, watching the patrons who frequented the cantina. It was getting late, almost traditional business hours. Smiling to himself, he glanced around once more. Surprisingly he saw Lana coming out of the hidden door at the back. Tho scowled. Where was she going? Especially at this hour? He was standing to follow her when one of his members swaggered up to him, drunk. "Hey boss," he said. "Lets play with the little guy." Tho smiled. He would deal with Lana later.  
  
Lana hurried away from the cantina, ignoring most of the catcalls that followed her and offering suggestive winks by rote to others. If you acted interested to some of them, then all of them left you alone-a lesson off the fringe. Quickly, she jumped on her speeder bike and zoomed off toward the Temple.  
  
Qui-Gon tensed as he heard Tho and several men coming back into his room. He tried to straighten and gritted his teeth at the pain in his stomach, wishing mightily to himself to just ignore it.  
  
Lana swerved out of the way of an incoming taxi. She was traveling in the wrong lane, going the wrong direction, but if she took the regular routes she wouldn't get to the Temple until it was too late for the kid. Ignoring the danger, she cranked her bike up to full throttle.  
  
Qui-Gon bit his lip as Tho and his men came closer to him, one of them holding what looked like to his fuzzy mind a long metal rod.  
Grinning like a maniac, the goon with the rod swung it with all his might into Qui-Gon's stomach, creating a singing sound with its passage in the air.  
Qui-Gon gasped at the pain in his stomach and threw up again. He nearly cried from the pain as he was smacked repeatedly in the stomach.  
  
Lana pulled up to the entrance level of the Temple in half the time it would normally take a considerate citizen. Jumping off of her speeder, letting it crash into other speeders parked correctly, she ran full tilt up the stairs in the darkening afternoon. Sprinting in the quiet halls, she stopped the first Jedi she saw. "Where is Master Dooku?" She asked breathlessly. The Jedi calmly explained where to find the other Jedi Master and off she ran again. Going up two levels and skidding to a stop in front of a door, she jabbed at the entrance button to announce her arrival.  
Master Dooku was pacing in his living room. Padawan Josel watched him and both looked up when the door chime rang. Dooku glanced at Kyran. "Kyran would you answer that please." Kyran obediently headed for the door and opened it. His eyes widened in surprise at the very attractive young woman outside. "May I help you?"  
Lana panted for a moment. She normally was in very good shape but running full tilt up two levels would make anyone breathless. "Qui- Gon...trouble..." was all she could get out at first.  
Kyran's eyes widened and he opened the door all the way. "Please, come inside."  
Lana nodded and cautiously entered, very much aware of the fact that she came from the opposite side of the law as these young men and the tall man standing across from her. Her eyes darted around warily and she couldn't help but wonder if her brother had lived in quarters like this before his death.  
Kyran stood trying to explain to master Dooku. "Master Dooku, this woman says she has information on where Qui-Gon is." At those words Dooku's gaze sharpened. "You know where he is?" He questioned, anxiously.  
She nodded. "Yes, Master Dooku." She almost had her breath back now. "But we've got to hurry. He'll die soon if we don't."  
Dooku's breath left him in a rush and color drained from his face. "Force...what happened? Lead the way."  
Lana explained to Dooku quickly what Tho had injected his padawan with, noticing that the two younger men were following them as well.  
Dooku's gaze darkened. "Sith, they injected him with Yanthamin?" He quickened his steps. "He's allergic to that."  
She nodded again. "I know. I discovered that when I sliced into the Temple records." After a silent pause, she recognized what she had just admitted to. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze defiantly. "What?"  
Dooku arched a brow. "You sliced into the Temple records? That's supposed to be impossible."  
With pride evident in her voice she said, "Nothing's impossible for me."  
Dooku shook his head and quirked a grin. "Ordinarily you'd be arrested but I think under the circumstances we can over look it. Please.show me where he is." They came to the Temple hangar bay and he hopped inside a speeder, Kyran and Devin following suit.  
Lana hesitated, the sheer madness of what she was doing finally hitting her. After she did this, she could never go back to the fringe. Tho would be out for her blood.  
Dooku piloted the speeder, using the Force to pour on the speed weaving in and out of Coruscant traffic, using the directions Lana had given him and hoping desperately it wasn't too late for his padawan.  
Lana had jumped in the speeder at the last second and hung on for dear life, feeling her old life slipping from her faster than the speed the Jedi master was driving. She was saving a life, the life of a Jedi, to make up for being unable to save her brother. Surely that amounted to something. Still not sure about her own actions, she hung in for the ride.  
Dooku swerved in and out of traffic pouring on the speed and finally comes to the street where his padawan was supposed to be. Questing about, he felt Qui-Gon's faint presence. His eyes widened. They did not have much time. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four Tho watched from his usual place near the corner of the wall. He had already kicked out his frustration on the young, semi-conscious Jedi brat and now he was letting his riders have a turn.  
Qui-Gon moaned at the queasiness in his stomach as the men continued to pummel him. He was fairly certain one of his ribs was broken if not two. They'd been hitting him with a metal rod in the stomach for nearly an hour and a half. He heaved but nothing came up, having long ago emptied his stomach all over the floor. How he wished he hadn't disobeyed his master.  
  
Lana hurriedly showed the Jedi into the cantina and raced toward the hidden room in the back, hoping she wasn't too late.  
  
The woman in Tho's gang reached for the Padawan braid on the boy's head with her knife. She liked to collect trophies before she killed. Seeing the warning, Tho casually uncrossed his arms. "No, Fli. We're not killing him yet. Just punishing him for being born." He chuckled. "Hand me the rod." Fli mutely handed him the metal rod and he raised it to hit the Jedi again.  
Without a word the door flew open and the metal rod was jerked out of the grip of the owner before he could land another hit on his padawan. Yan Dooku, blade ignited took in the scene. His sick padawan was chained to a wall, so weak he could barely move. Dried vomit on the floor close to the boy gave mute testimony of what the boy had been injected with. "Step away from my apprentice. Now." He ordered. His voice was cold, sharp and intimidating, filling the room with his Force-presence. Qui-Gon was semi-conscious and even he had sense enough to recognize the voice. "Master!" He said hoarsely in surprise and joy. Kyran and Devin were just behind Dooku, blades also out and ignited.  
Lana hung back in the hall, not anxious to get in the way of three lighted blades and trapped swoop riders. Tho gaped in surprise. "How'd you get in here?" He demanded. "No one knows..." He spied Lana hanging back in the shadows. "You Gamorrean whore!"  
Kyran's gaze darkened and with a powerful Force blast he sent Tho flying across the room, away from his friend.  
Tho hit the wall hard, his spine cracking and he suddenly could no longer feel the bottom part of his body. Terrified, he tried to get up and walk but found the gesture useless. His eyes round, he stared at Kyran. "What di' you do to me?!"  
Kyran blinked. "I just pushed you. You're the one who had to fall into the wall."  
Lana burst out laughing, though she quickly stilted it. Fli detached herself from her cowering position near the door and jumped on Lana, surprising the Jedi and swoop riders. Fli's dislike of Lana had been legendary but to pick a fight right here in front of Jedi was stupid even for her. Fli punched her in the face and Lana clawed at her face.  
Kyran reached down and with great difficulty pulled the struggling woman off Lana, getting several slash marks across his face for his efforts.  
Fli suddenly let herself get limp. Reaching into her tunic, she pulled out her holdout blaster. She grinned maliciously and fired directly into Lana's chest. Lana gasped and let out a strangled yell before sinking into unconsciousness.  
Glaring at the woman he was holding, Kyran struggled to get a grip on the blaster and she clawed his face again, nearly getting his eyes. He yanked the blaster from her with the Force and then dropped to Lana's side to check on her.  
Fli, happy now, let herself be led to where the swoop riders were all gathered, hands up in surrender, against the wall. Dooku glanced down at Kyran. "Kyran, can you get to Qui-Gon? Then I can get him out of here and you can get Lana."  
Qui-Gon moaned and sighed in relief seeing Tho and his men as prisoners of his master. Kyran quickly went over to his friend and cut him out of his chains. Qui-Gon was too weak to support himself and his knees buckled. "Sorry." He tried to apologize for falling on Kyran but he was so tired...so tired.  
Kyran held Qui-Gon's stumbling form and whispered, "Hold on buddy." He handed him over to Dooku, anxious to get back to where Lana lay, blood staining her shirt.  
Kyran swore as he glanced at her wound and clenched his jaw. It looked bad. He reached deep into the Force and tried to aide healing and stop the blood flow. Standing only when he thought her blood flow had stopped enough to move her.  
Dooku nodded. "Okay, let's move." He glared at the swoop riders. "The Council will hear of this and more Jedi will be dispatched shortly to take care of you and your little 'business'," he snapped.  
  
Jedi Healer Han'yaie slowly injected adlantum into an unconscious Qui- Gon's arm. He silently hoped that the padawan had been brought to him in enough time for the antidote to Yanthamin to work.  
Kyran looked at his unconscious best friend and shook his head sadly at his condition. His friend had been unconscious since they rescued him. He'd fainted in the speeder and neither himself, nor Master Dooku or his friend Devin could bring him around. He hoped it wasn't too late to save his friend. Qui-Gon had been his friend since Qui-Gon was five.  
Han'yaie took a step backwards as he regarded the young Jedi apprentice. He should know soon whether or not the adlantum was given in enough time to save the boy's life.  
Kyran looked up, his eyes wide with horror as he heard the rhythm monitoring his friend's vital signs go flat. He jumped to his feet to go to his friend's aide.  
Han'yaie swept a well-muscled arm to the side to block Kyran's passage to his friend. "No," he clipped tersely. "This is something I alone have the knowledge in the Force to do." He placed his fingers lightly on Qui-Gon's forehead, ignoring the whine of the heart monitor. Focusing into the Force, Han'yaie gathered the almost tangible ghost-like strands of Living Force to his body like a glove scooping out herbs in a broth. When he had several of the pulsing strands of Life, Han'yaie pushed them through his fingers and into Qui-Gon's body. He had to anchor Qui-Gon's life force before it slipped too far away. Gritting his teeth with the white-hot pain of the Living Force pulsing through him, Han'yaie focused still more and more of what only he could see into the limp body of the young Jedi.  
Kyran watched helplessly and glanced at the just then entering Master Dooku. Dooku had finally finished delivering Tho and his men to the authorities and had showed up to keep the vigil over his padawan. He took in Han'yaie over his padawan and he felt his stomach drop out at seeing the flat monitor. He frantically searched his bond with his padawan and knew then what that silence in his mind that was his padawan's place meant.  
Han'yaie poured more of the Living Force into the padawan. He refused to let it be too late for this boy. Almost as if the Force knew his determination would not waver, suddenly he felt Qui-Gon's life force slam back into his body. The heart monitor steadied again to a steady beeping and Qui-Gon's began to breathe normally again, though still unconscious. Han'yaie let out a tired sigh of relief and removed his fingers from the boy's forehead. It had been close. He opened his eyes, not aware that he had closed them, to find Master Dooku and Padawan Josel staring at him with wide eyes. "He is safe now. Let him rest," he said in an exhausted voice.  
Dooku let out a long breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding when he saw his padawan's monitor start up again. A few tears slipped down the side of his cheeks. If only he'd told the boy "Happy Birthday" instead of waiting and being so cold this would never have happened. He bowed his head and walked out, filled with regrets.  
Han'yaie silently watched the Jedi Master leave. He was so tired, had used so much of his strength for just one person...and he had yet to look after Kyran and the woman they had brought in. The Healer glanced over at Kyran. "Come here. Let's get those cuts cleaned off of your face, Padawan Josel," he said.  
Kyran sighed deeply, unconcerned about the cuts on his face, more concerned for Qui-Gon, who was still unconscious. He bowed his head and nodded. "Yes, Master Han'yaie."  
Han'yaie took little time with Kyran as the cuts were not that deep. He used a little bacta to help heal the cuts faster and to hopefully not leave any scarring behind. Once he was finished, he raised an eyebrow. "Now, what am I to do about this woman you and Master Dooku have brought me? She has little Force talent, is not trained, and the rules forbid her to stay here if she is not Jedi." He leaned down conspiratorially. "But I know that if she leaves here, she will die. What shall we do with her?"  
Kyran shook his head. "Heal her anyway?" He glanced up at the Healer. "She doesn't exactly have the energy to go anywhere else and see a doctor."  
Han'yaie hid a smile as he stood up. "Correct, Kyran Josel. Though I am afriad that at this moment I have nothing to spare her with the Force. So we'll place her in a bacta tank for a few days and tomorrow, after I have rested, we will see how she responds. But where shall we put her for her extended stay?" He knew that the young man could think of something, he just wanted to hear it from the padawan's lips so that Kyran could feel like he was helping.  
Kyran bit at his lip. "With Qui-Gon? They can keep each other company. That way we can see how they're both doing at the same time. When we come visit." He knew the Master healer would know he meant Qui-Gon's Master if he said "we".  
Han'yaie smiled. "A good idea, Padawan Josel. So shall it be. Now, go get some rest. I will alert you and Master Dooku should anything happen during the night to either one of them."  
Kyran nodded and left the Healer's Ward as the Chief Healer instructed, but knew that he wouldn't be able to get any sleep, while both of his friends were in such bad shape. He headed for his quarters, intending to ask his Master to help him meditate and focus. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Qui-Gon crossed his arms over his chest, his lower lip turned down, pouting. Han'yaie, the Chief Healer, had just informed him that he would have to stay in the Healer's wing for another week, to make sure the broken bones in his ribs had completely healed* Masster. *he whined* I don't think this is necessary........ A week is far too long...  
Dooku shot his padawan a stern glance. "If Master Han'yaie thinks it is necessary, then we are to obey him, Padawan. Just think of it as a way to get out of your classes."  
*Qui-Gon scowled.* That's not comforting. I can think of a dozen more things I could do that are more entertaining to get out of class. *he pushes his braid behind his ear.*  
Dooku merely smiled and asked pointedly, "Can you move and bend without wincing, hissing in pain and soreness, or making some sort of comment?"  
Qui-Gon frowned at his master and then tried to sit up in bed. He gasped and paled a shade. He sighed, beaten.* No master...  
"Then you will obey the Healer," Dooku said, grinning openly. He glanced around...and lost his grin as he saw the other large room's occupant. Quieter, he added, "And you can continue to keep Lana company."  
*Qui-Gon gasped as he saw Lana on a bed in the same room. He tried to get up and go to her... she was unconscious and hooked to several machines, but he stopped. Pain flooded through him as he tried to move...  
Dooku laid a gentle but restraining hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "She's in the same room and will be for the remainder of the time that she is here, padawan. You know as well as I that Healers are supposed to place injured Jedi at the top of their agenda. She will be better off if she is not discovered while she's here. When you feel better, you can go see her. For now...." He glanced up as the door opened and Kyran entered with the skin of his face that had been slashed still slightly pink from his bacta treatment.  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply.* Yes Master. *he settled himself back against his pillows, wincing as torn muscles and broken bones protested with every move he made. He looked up to see his best friend Kyran enter the room* hi.  
: Kyran smiled tiredly. "Hey, how you doing? I was actually surprised to see that you hadn't made your getaway yet."  
Qui-Gon scowled* Sore subject. They've decided to keep me for another week.  
Kyran glanced over at Lana's bed and directed his next question to Dooku. "And how long on Lana? Any word?"  
Dooku shook his head. "Chief Healer Han'yaie says that only time will tell about Lana. We'll have to wait."  
Kyran glanced down and muttered, "I hate waiting."  
  
Kyran watched Lana's chest rise up and then sink back down. Her eyelids had not moved in a week. Today Qui-Gon was allowed to go back to his quarters and Lana would be left in the room alone. He knew his friend had been talking to her while they were left alone together, though Lana had not woken or showed signs of waking. The Healers had patched up her chest and dunked her in the bacta tank once every two days for about four hours. The wound was almost healed but Lana's unconsciousness stayed with eerie persistence. No, he corrected himself. Not unconsciousness. Coma.  
Qui-Gon stepped inside the door of the room he'd been in for nearly two weeks straight. Eager as he was to leave, there was somebody else still there who needed his help more than he needed to be out thus he came back with his friend Kyran to keep the vigil with him over the girl who'd saved his life. Lana? Wasn't that her name? Yes, that was it. "Hi," he said quietly to his friend..  
Kyran turned around. "Hi," he said just as quietly. He pushed a chair toward his friend. "You ready to leave?"  
Qui-Gon nodded quietly. "Yes...but..." He glanced at Lana in the bed sadly. "She saved my life...and I have no idea why."  
Kyran smiled a little. "She's got a good heart, and a full past."  
Qui-Gon looked at him curiously. "How do you know?"  
"It's just...a feeling I have with her," Kyran said slowly. He glanced at the sleeping Lana and then back at Qui-Gon. "Have you spoken with Han'yaie about her lately?"  
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. Not since a few days ago."  
Kyran sighed. "Han'yaie says that when she was shot, the trauma and the pressure pushed against a nerve ending into her brain, causing her to go into a coma. She should wake when she heals enough for the pressure to go down."  
Qui-Gon winced. "Think she'll wake soon?"  
Kyran sighed. He opened his mouth but before he could answer, a stirring in the Force caught his attention and he turned back toward Lana to see her eyelids fluttering.  
Qui-Gon blinked and saw her open her eyes. He grinned. "Well I suppose that's answered."  
Lana slowly opened her eyes, everything being blurry at first. She did not know where she was and felt a deep, sharp ache in the center of her chest. Frightened, she made a small noise in the back of her throat.  
Kyran took her hand gently and tried to send her calming waves through the Force. "Lana?"  
Qui-Gon peered over Kyran's shoulder.  
Lana's vision cleared slowly and the first person she saw was Kyran, his face full of concern. Still pulling out of the blackness she had been in, she found herself smiling. "Hello," she said groggily.  
Kyran smiled in relief at seeing her smile. He stroked her cheek tenderly. "How are you feeling? Any better?"  
Lana tried to smile again. In a hoarse voice she whispered, "Like a herd of banthas stampeded on my chest. What happened?"  
Kyran's face grew serious. "You were shot in the chest. It was deep. Then you had an infection and nearly died. We weren't sure you were going to make it."  
Lana coughed lightly, feeling the pull in her chest. Her voice still weak, she asked, "How long have I been here? And where is 'here'?"  
Kyran arched a brow. "You've been here about three weeks. And here is the Healer's wing of the Jedi Temple--you've been a roommate of Qui-Gon's for quite sometime."  
Lana smiled up at Qui-Gon and reached weakly for his hand. "How are you?" She asked, meaning it more than just a status of his physical condition.  
Qui-Gon half smiled. "In a lot of trouble...but other than that I'm alright."  
Lana sobered. "Your birthday...."  
Qui-Gon looked away and shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore."  
Lana saw Kyran hide a smile and stopped herself from asking the questions she had. "Qui-Gon, could you get the healer for me please?"  
Qui-Gon, sighed a bit, grateful that Lana had woken and headed out to find the Healer. Guilt about her situation ate at him and he knew he should never have left the Temple without permission. Once he'd been healed he'd been grounded for the next two weeks. He grimaced and turned a corner and found one of the healer apprentices to relay the message to Healer Han'yaie.  
Lana turned to Kyran as soon as Qui-Gon left. Although she was lying down, still not fully recovered, and weak, she still put steel into her voice as she asked, "Okay, so what's this about his birthday?"  
Kyran grinned slightly then sighed. "We didn't forget his birthday. We were planning a party and didn't want him to know, so we just acted like everything was normal, but I think things went a bit too far."  
Lana understood in a flash. She groaned and then clutched at her sore chest. She gasped for a moment to recover her air. When she could speak again, she gave a short chuckle. "Oh no! So why haven't you done anything for him now?"  
Kyran grinned slightly. "Because one of his guests was still in the healer's wing." He arched a brow at her. "You saved his life. We couldn't hold it without you."  
Lana smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad I didn't miss it."  
Kyran frowned and stared at her, his gaze narrowed and he sat on the edge of her bed. "Why did you help him?"  
She gazed at him a moment. She knew she didn't have to tell him, but since her life was officially over the way she knew it since helping the young Jedi, she decided to be honest with him. "My brother, Jep, was a Jedi. He died in the line of duty one day while with his master. Qui-Gon came, bound and half-dead, and I knew I couldn't let him die. I couldn't do anything about Jep, but I could do something about Qui-Gon."  
Kyran nodded slowly, then frowned, his brow furrowing slightly. "Jep? Not Jep Marks was it?"  
She narrowed her eyes slightly. In a guarded tone, she said, "Yes. Why?"  
Kyran smiled a bit. "I knew Jep. Not well, but I did know him. He was a padawan of Master W'go wasn't he?"  
Her thoughts were scattered. "I...can't quite recall...but yes, I think so." She shifted to place weight on her elbow to lift herself up slightly.  
Kyran rose from his position on the edge of her bed and scooted down to help her, his lips accidentally brushing her cheek as he bent down to help her sit up.  
Lana felt his soft lips against her cheek and blushed, allowing him to help her adjust her position so she was sitting upright instead of laying down. She kept her head down, her frayed braids dangling in front of her eyes to shield her from his gaze. She cleared her throat, not sure what to say, when she was spared with the entrance of Qui-Gon and a healer.  
Qui-Gon looked away having seen Kyran kiss Lana. He cleared his throat pointedly at Kyran. "I have to go. Master Dooku says I have more lessons to complete if I want to get any sleep tonight." He sighed.  
Kyran flashed an embarrassed grin at his friend. "Then you better get to it, then. I'll drop by later and see how you're doing."  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "You're a lot of help." Grumbling, he headed back to his room to study.  
Lana looked curiously at the healer. Pointedly ignoring Kyran now, she asked, "When can I leave?"  
Han'yaie smiled in relief seeing the young lady awake as he stood behind the apprentice healer. "You have three more bacta treatments left...then you'll be free to go."  
Lana made a face. "I'll be tasting bacta for months." She brought her head up. "So...three days, right?"  
The Chief Healer nodded. "Indeed. You had a very bad infection. We are very glad you pulled through."  
Lana smiled. "Me too." She finally looked back over at Kyran, dismissing the accidental kiss from her mind. "Any chance you can get me a holonet hook up in here?"  
  
Qui-Gon stared at his homework, and sighed deeply. He hated being grounded, but knew he deserved it and all the work. His master had told him to meet him for a workout in another hour. Sighing deeply, he began to work some more. He wasn't in the mood for working out.  
  
Lana stretched her legs. It felt good to stand. Too bad she had the unpleasant, sour taste of bacta in her mouth. She smiled over at Kyran and Master Dooku. "I'm ready."  
Kyran smirked. "Good. Then we should be well hidden before Qui-Gon ever gets done working."  
  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply as he stared at the clock. It was almost time for him to go train. He wondered why his master hadn't come back to get him like he said he would yet.  
Dooku smiled the entire way back to the quarters that he shared with Qui-Gon. It had been gladdening to see Lana up and about again. He cleared his throat as he stood outside their door and wiped the grin from his face. Calmly, he strode through the door. He almost laughed when he saw Qui-Gon's head bent over his studies. "Qui-Gon."  
Qui-Gon didn't look up, nearly finished with the last problem of his math assignment. "Yes Master?"  
Dooku held out a strip of cloth he held. "Come here, Padawan. I have a different lesson for you to learn today in your training exercises."  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply and looked up at the blindfold in his master's hand. He hated the blindfold test, but knew it would do no good to argue. He obediently put down his books. "Yes, Master."  
Dooku silently blindfolded his apprentice then stepped back from him. "Reach out with the Force and follow me." He turned on his heel and strode out the door.  
Qui-Gon sighed and followed his master using his force senses to see. He frowned as they turned down a corridor that didn't lead to a training room. "Master, this isn't the way to the gym."  
Dooku sharpened his voice when he spoke, though he was laughing inside. "Hush, Padawan. This exercise is for you to learn by being quiet."  
Qui-Gon fell silent, remembering the rebuke his Master had given him in front of Yoda about not opening his mouth every time he had a comment. He bit his lip, determined to keep silent from now on.  
Dooku wanted to burst out laughing as he sensed the flow of his padawan's thoughts. Well, at least he had learned. He opened a door and stood aside. "Proceed me inside please, Qui-Gon," he instructed.  
Qui-Gon obediently led the way into the room, keeping his protests to himself, wishing his master would let him take off the blindfold, hating finding his way around in the dark.  
Dooku let Qui-Gon get halfway into the middle of the cafeteria room before ordering him to stop. "Now you can remove your blindfold."  
Qui-Gon sighed and took off his blindfold and frowned at finding himself still in the dark. "Master this isn't funny. It's still dark in here."  
"Prepare for your lesson for the day, Padawan," Dooku said smiling openly now. He switched on the light...and all of Qui-Gon's friends, including Lana now that she was released from the Healer's wing, shouted, "SURPRISE! Happy Birthday, Qui-Gon!"  
Qui-Gon stood rooted to the spot, shock flooding him at all the streamers, balloons and presents that decorated the room. He blinked back tears as he stared at all the happy faces, unable to say a word. They didn't forget?  
Dooku sensed his thoughts. "We never forgot, Padawan, not even on the day of your birthday. Perhaps we carried our ruse a little too far." He draped an arm around Qui-Gon's shoulders. "We were going to do it as soon as you recovered, but Lana was not able to join us so we waited. Hope you aren't disappointed."  
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Of course I'm not Master. I just.don't know what to say..."  
Lana strolled up to him. "Hiya, kid," she greeted, hands on her leather-bound hips, long braids dangling. "You gonna walk over to the cake so we can all have some or what?" She shot him an impish grin.  
Qui-Gon's jaw dropped staring at her outfit. He remembered her being gorgeous, but he saw for the first time just how pretty she was. She took his stunned silence and gawking for compliance and dragged him over to an enormous birthday cake.  
There, on the frosted sugar, was a picture of Qui-Gon with his lightsaber lit. In big, gooey letters were the words "Happy Birthday...Finally...Qui-Gon". Lana shoved him at the cake. "Go ahead. I'm starved for something besides bacta and small, bite-sized foods."  
Qui-Gon grinned and cut a rather large slice for himself and then sat down to savor it happily. He was healed. He had friends who cared about him and everything else was alright with the universe.  
  
Lana wiped the last bit of frosting from her fingers and slipped out the door. She had intended to leave silently, but a male voice stopped her as she walked down the corridor. Sighing, she turned around.  
Qui-Gon jogged over to Lana, having disentangled himself from the well-wishers and wiped frosting off his face. "Lana?"  
She gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Yes, Qui-Gon?" She was anxious to leave these wide halls.  
Qui-Gon frowned a bit knowing he had more frosting on his face--Kyran had tried to smear a piece of cake on his cheek--but right now he didn't care. "Where are you going?"  
Lana sighed. "I gotta go, kid." She leaned forward and whispered, "I don't belong here." She didn't add that she didn't really belong anywhere anymore, figuring that it should stay unsaid.  
Qui-Gon frowned deeply at her, concerned for her welfare. "But where will you go?"  
She shrugged. "Don't know, yet. I'm figuring I'll figure it out soon."  
Qui-Gon fumbled in the pocket of his robes and took out all of his spare credits and a list of contacts he'd been meaning to give her and pressed them into her hand, silencing her protests, putting a finger over her full lips. "Don't say no. My master and I know several people who're looking for smart people who can get the job done right." He half-smiled. "Just tell them I know you."  
Lana was touched. She knew she should refuse--throw the credits on the ground and run or something--but something within her merely stared at Qui-Gon for a moment before she pocketed what he gave her. She flashed him a grin. "Thanks, Qui-Gon. When I get settled, I'll contact you to let you know where I can be found. We'll keep in touch."  
Qui-Gon grabbed a piece of flimsiplast and hurriedly wrote down his address at the Temple and folded it up and handed it to her. "Promise?"  
Lana nodded. "Promise." She grinned at him once more and then sauntered down the halls, whistling. She was going to be legit now. She owed it to Qui-Gon...and to Jep.  
  
Qui-Gon came back to his room after the party and bent his head back obediently over his studies once more, presents from his friends piled around his room, wondering how Lana was and what she was doing.  
Dooku walked into the room and saw his padawan once again over his studies. Immediately, a warning bell rang in his mind. His padawan usually would be investigating his new presents but here he was, back to the studies again. "Qui-Gon, what's the matter?" He asked, sitting across from him.  
Qui-Gon shrugged slightly and continued working on his assignment. "I have a deadline to meet for this project you assigned and I'm not finished with it...and Lana left." He sighed. "I hope she's alright."  
Dooku leaned back slightly in his chair. So that was his padawan's concern. "I know she left shortly after your presents were opened," he shot him a pointed glance, "and that you talked to her. What did she say?"  
Qui-Gon sighed. "She said she didn't belong anywhere."  
  
Dooku folded his arms. "Well, technically, she doesn't anymore with how she turned her back on her fringe friends to save you and she's not Force sensitive. Even if she were, she'd be too old to train. So what did you say to her?"  
Qui-Gon looked away at those words, hot tears filling his eyes but he tried his best to hide them. "That doesn't mean she doesn't belong Master. I gave her all of my credits and a list of contacts who need help. She promised she would be legit from now on."  
Dooku was stunned. "You...gave...her...all.of...But you had been saving those for a year! You wanted to get the newest sketchbook and paint set! You gave..." His voice failed him for a moment, and then he noticed the stricken expression on Qui-Gon's face. "That was a very unselfish thing you did, Qui-Gon. I'm proud of you."  
Qui-Gon looked away. "You shouldn't be. I nearly got her killed." He buried his head in his hands and cried, the stress of the past few weeks and the shock finally taking their toll slammed into him that he nearly got an innocent person killed.  
Dooku draped an arm around Qui-Gon. "Something my master told me once was to never dwell on the past or the mistakes that we have there," he said kindly. "He told me that only by learning from those mistakes can we avoid them in the future and so therefore gain wisdom. What's done is done, Qui- Gon. Yes, you nearly got Lana killed by your behavior...but she is alive and well, and also a better person because of it. Sometimes things work out for strange reasons. Perhaps this was all to get Lana back on the right track with the law since her brother's death." He hadn't meant to let it slip what Kyran had told him about her brother but it had just come out. He winced for a second but knew that he could not take back his words. He could only hope Qui-Gon was too preoccupied with his grief to notice what he had said.  
Qui-Gon sniffled a bit as his Master hugged him gently. He dried his tears knowing he'd done all he could to help his friend. He sighed deeply. "The will of the Force..." He shook his head. "Master, when you think you're beginning to understand the Force, you find out how ignorant of it you truly are." He sighed deeply and took out the rock that Lana had given him. It was a beautiful thing, blue and black with deep veins of red running through it. He felt his hands warm just by touching it.  
The Force flowed through him, touching him, touching the rock, and he felt more acutely than ever how he fit into the whole plan of the universe as a Jedi--a protector of others and a warrior for justice when needed. He did not know what the future held but he knew that, for that moment, he was content. He only hoped Lana was keeping to her promise. He would know soon when she contacted him. Smiling, he put the rock in his pocket and put down his pen. He had a lot of presents to dive into and he wasn't going to waste the opportunity.  
  
Don't miss the next story in this exciting series, soon to come out: Endurance- Shadows of Light 


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